What does intubation mean?
Intubation is the insertion of a tube into part of the body, most often into the trachea through the mouth or nose. In emergency medicine, anaesthesia, and intensive care, endotracheal intubation is used when a patient cannot maintain an open airway or protect their breathing adequately. The tube allows clinicians to deliver oxygen, assist ventilation, administer certain medications, and reduce the risk of aspiration. Nasotracheal intubation follows a different route through the nose, while awake intubation preserves a conscious patient's breathing during the procedure. In a broader medical sense, intubation can also mean placing a tube into an organ or body cavity to drain fluid or provide treatment. The term is largely specialised rather than literary, and its familiar modern meaning is closely associated with airway management. Its related verb, intubate, is often used when describing the act of placing the tube.
The insertion of a tube into the trachea through the mouth or nose to open and maintain the airway, permit ventilation, or deliver medication and oxygen.
"Rapid sequence intubation was necessary because the patient was unable to maintain his airway."
Without further qualification, intubation in modern clinical settings usually refers to tracheal intubation.
The insertion of a tube into a body cavity or organ for drainage, examination, or treatment.
"Ultrasound-guided intubation of the cyst allowed the fluid to be drained safely."
This broader sense is used in specialised medical contexts and is less common than the airway-related meaning.
The plural is used when referring to separate procedures or instances of intubation.
"The anaesthetist performed two difficult intubations before changing the airway-management strategy."
Intubation is the airway emergency's way of turning a blocked passage into a clear route for air.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does intubation come from?
Intubation was formed in English from the Latin intubare, meaning to insert into a tube or hollow instrument. The Latin word combined the prefix in-, meaning “into,” with tuba, a tube or trumpet. Related forms such as intubate and intubator were borrowed into medical vocabulary through the same Latin root, while cognates including French intubation, Spanish intubación, German Intubation, and Portuguese intubação followed the same derivation.
Related word forms
How intubation is actually used
In contemporary clinical usage, intubation usually denotes tracheal intubation and therefore belongs primarily to medicine, emergency care, and anaesthesia. The broader sense, involving insertion into another body cavity or organ, occurs in specialised medical contexts. When the practitioner is a doctor, intubation is also commonly used as a verb.
Easily confused with intubation
Intubation usually means inserting a tube into the airway, whereas cannulation most often means inserting a smaller tube into a blood vessel.
Intubation establishes or maintains access to the airway, while extubation is the removal of a previously inserted airway tube.